Mobile communication terminal apparatus including moisture detection

ABSTRACT

A mobile communication terminal device is disclosed having elements for detecting moisture in the device. These elements include the following precautionary features: a memory for recording a circumstance under which the detection of moisture takes place, a shutdown feature for shutting down the mobile communication terminal device at least partially if moisture has been detected, and a feature for determining two circumstances, namely that the mobile communications terminal has been at least partially shut down as a result of a detection of moisture and that the mobile communication terminal device has been connected to an external power supply and subsequent current is being drawn from the power supply. Once these two circumstances have been detected, a mode is activated by which the mobile communication terminal device is subjected to a heating phase and as a result, in turn, to a drying phase.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates to a mobile communication terminaldevice, and more particularly, a mobile communications device includingmoisture detection for use in limiting corrosion in the device.

Mobile communication terminal devices repeatedly exhibit corrosionphenomena in the interior of the housing of the device on metallicelectrically conducting surfaces. 70 to 80% of complaints from customersabout their mobile communication terminal devices arise from suchcorrosion phenomena.

Not only the keypad surfaces, however, are affected by the corrosionphenomena. Concerning the components of the device, short-circuits arefrequently caused by the products resulting from such corrosion. In thecase of devices having rubber mats and/or films, in particular,corrosion phenomena can be observed beneath the rubber mat or film onmetallic electrically conducting surfaces.

If a liquid containing water comes into contact with a module having anoperating voltage of greater than 1.2 Volts, then, as a result ofelectrolysis, the water becomes strongly alkaline up to a pH value of14. Within a short time the alkaline liquid destroys the module as aresult of corrosion. Contamination on the module can further acceleratethis process. When more recent tin/silver/copper solder types are used,this process is accelerated still further. Liquids containing acids canalso result in the development of corrosion.

Splash-proof devices, for example, are produced in order to counter thecorrosion problem. These devices, however, also do not ultimately escapethe corrosion problem.

A method of providing so-called “sacrificial” anodes is known wherebythese modes are the first items to be destroyed by the corrosion. Inthis manner, other sensitive parts remain spared from the corrosion fora time. When the sacrificial anodes have been used up, however,protection against corrosion is no longer provided.

A method is also known of providing heating resistors as a measureoffering corrosion protection, whereby a dry environment is generated inthe mobile communication terminal device as a result of the heatdissipated by these resistors. A disadvantage of this methodology,however, is the high power consumption of the device.

A further method is known of containing the corrosion through theapplication of protective coatings prior to assembly of the devices. Adisadvantage in this case is the fact that only restricted repairoptions then remain available for modules. A further disadvantage is thefact that the contact points of the keypads can not be protected in thismanner because they would otherwise be insulated and incapable ofoperation as a result.

A method is also known of applying a coating by an immersion processwhen there is no need to pay special attention to any contact surfaces.

A further method is known of applying a carbon coating to the keycontacts and test points to prevent corrosion in the device. With regardto a large number of devices, however, the use of a carbon coating asprotection against corrosion is not possible on account of the packagingdensity of the components.

Finally, a method is known of designing generously dimensioned contactsurfaces in order to delay the effects of the corrosion, such as in theform of an open circuit between the contacts, for example. However, thecorrosion can not altogether be prevented in this manner, at least notin its entirety. There is likewise little opportunity to prevent agrowing short-circuit resulting from corrosion.

In addition, from Patent Abstracts of Japan, Vol. 2000, No. 24, 11 May2001 (2001-05-11) and JP 2001 197175 A (Matsushita Electric Ind Co Ltd),19 Jul. 2001 (2001-07-19) a mobile communication terminal device isknown that includes elements for detecting moisture in the mobilecommunication terminal device and a memory feature for recording thecircumstances under which the detection of moisture takes place.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure, features an apparatus for use in a device suchas a mobile communication terminal device of the type mentioned at thebeginning, employing technical measures that serve to greatly slow downor even completely prevent corrosion phenomena in the mobilecommunication terminal device.

An example of an apparatus for use in a mobile communication terminal isdisclosed including a moisture detection element configured to detectmoisture in the mobile communication terminal device. The apparatus alsoincludes a memory to record circumstances under which the detection ofmoisture takes place, a first shutdown element configured to at leastpartially shut down the mobile communication terminal device whenmoisture has been detected, and a control element configured todetermine a first even where an at least partial shutdown of the mobilecommunication terminal device has been performed by the first shutdownelement as a result of moisture being detected, and a second even wherethe mobile communication terminal device is connected to an externalpower supply source and current is being drawn from the power supplysource; and, upon detection of the first and second events, activate amode to cause the mobile communication terminal device through thedrawing of current to be subjected to a heating phase and a subsequentdrying phase.

Through the use of appropriate moisture sensors, the mobilecommunication terminal device is capable of actively detecting moisturein the device, for example, and shutting down the device, at leastpartially, when moisture is detected. In this situation, the device doesnot need to be shut down immediately in the event that moisture isdetected if there are reasons justifying a later shutdown. Such a reasoncould, for example, be the fact that a subscriber call is currentlyconnected at the time when moisture is detected. Thus, the end of such asubscriber call should in such as case be awaited. To this end, it isnecessary for the mobile communication terminal device to be capable ofstoring the event of moisture being detected. A memory feature isprovided for this purpose and is used to accomplish such an operation. Ashutdown element operating in a suitable manner is then provided forshutting down the mobile communication terminal device in an appropriatemanner.

Active moisture detection is understood, for example as the case whereelements are provided that will assume changed physical properties intheir environment depending on a moisture value, Depending on whichphysical properties corresponding by change, for example, such as withrespect to resistances, capacitances, inductances and/or frequencies,these values can then be interrogated and, thereby, also be monitored.Such a monitoring facility could, for example, be implemented by anappropriate processor control unit.

In accordance with the disclosed apparatus, a further precautionaryfeature is provided by which the coincidence of two circumstances,(i.e., that the mobile communication terminal device has at leastpartially been shut down as a result of moisture being detected and thatthe mobile communication terminal device has been connected to anexternal power supply source) subsequently causing current to be drawnfrom the power supply source, can be determined. If a partial shutdownof the mobile communication terminal device occurs as a result of thedetection of moisture (i.e., at least such partial circuit componentsthat carry out the continuous monitoring of the existence of both theaforementioned circumstances) at least one of their functions can bekept active. If a full shutdown occurs as a result of the detection ofmoisture, in the event of a first reoccurrence of power being drawn atleast such partial circuit components which first check whether amoisture detection situation exists and which then control theappropriate further steps must be switched to an active state during thecourse of initial steps.

If the aforementioned feature has determined that both the relevantcircumstances exist, for example, the same feature serves to ensure thata mode is activated causing the mobile communication terminal device, bydrawing current, to be subject to a heating phase and in turn, aresultant drying phase. The drying phase is completed when the moisturedetection yields a negative result. Only then does the mobilecommunication terminal device become capable of being fully powered uponce again.

As long as the mobile communication terminal device remains unpowered,in spite of the presence of moisture, no electrolysis processes can takeplace in the device and, thus, for all practical purposes no corrosionprocesses can occur. If the device has been dried, even though there mayno longer be an absence of power, moisture is not present, which meansthat it is not possible for any electrolysis processes to take placeagain. On the whole, the device is particularly well protected againstcorrosion in the proposed manner.

Accordingly, as far as possible, the elements for shutting down themobile communication terminal device upon detection of dischargedinserted power supply cells and the elements for indicating dischargedpower supply cells are incorporated into the shutdown element in eachcase. The benefit in this situation is the fact that no extra elementsare required in order to realize these functions.

With the aid of the elements used for providing an indication ofdischarged inserted power supply cells, the shutdown of the mobilecommunication terminal device on account of moisture present in themobile communication terminal device is represented to an outsideobserver as a shutdown resulting from a prevailing discharged state ofthe power supply cells inserted in the mobile communication terminaldevice.

A benefit of this protocol is the fact that the outside observer (i.e.,the user of the mobile communication terminal device, in particular)will usually make an effort to keep fully charged power supply cells inhis device and he will, therefore, as a matter of priority place themobile communication terminal device into the charger unit supplied withthe mobile communication terminal device for charging discharged powersupply cells on seeing the indication for discharged power supply cells.In the charger unit, however, there is immediately sufficient electricalenergy available in order to subject the device to a drying process bymeans of a heating process.

In this situation, an increased current does not necessarily need to bedrawn because present devices will actually heat up during charging ofthe power supply cells. However, it is possible to design the device insuch a way that it draws an increased current for drying the device inorder to accelerate the drying process in this manner. In this context,moisture-dependent power consumption, accompanied by appropriate controlof the drying process, would also be conceivable.

By using a processor control unit, the detection of the occurrence ofthe two circumstances, (i.e., that the mobile communication terminaldevice has at least partially been shut down as a result of moisturebeing detected and that the mobile communication terminal device hasbeen connected to an external power supply source) can be implemented ina simple manner because currently available mobile communicationterminal devices already have integrated processor control units and itis, therefore, easily possible to also accommodate an appropriateadditional software facility for this detection in the mobilecommunication terminal device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The FIGURE illustrates an example of a mobile communication deviceconstructed in accordance with the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT EXAMPLES

The FIGURE illustrates a mobile communication terminal device 1. Themobile communication terminal device 1 includes elements 2 to detectdischarged inserted power supply cells 3. It also includes elements 4for shutting down the mobile communication terminal device 1 upondetection of discharged inserted power supply cells 3. In addition, themobile communication terminal device 1 includes elements 5 forindicating the circumstance whereby the inserted power supply cells aredischarged 3.

In the mobile communication terminal device 1, elements 6 are provided,for example, for the active detection of moisture located in the mobilecommunication terminal device 1. These elements 6 are preferablypositioned at points where corrosion phenomena are likely to makethemselves apparent. These points include the area of the keypad inparticular. Such elements 6 are therefore provided in the area of thekeypad in accordance with the illustrated example.

It is possibly sufficient to employ elements 6 for the detection ofmoisture at a single point in the mobile communication terminal device1. Optionally, however, elements 6 for the detection of moisture can beprovided at further points in the mobile communication terminal device1. In the present example, elements 6 for the detection of moisture areprovided at one further point in the area of the display.

The elements 6 are part of a further precautionary feature, which isused to control the elements 6. With regard to the elements 6, theseare, for example, moisture sensors that experience physical changesdepending on the moisture level prevailing in their environment andconvert these into an electrical variable that can also be furtherconverted into a data processing variable. In this manner, it isultimately possible to carry out an overall data processing evaluationof the signals generated by the elements 6 depending on the moisturelevel prevailing in their environment.

In the mobile communication terminal device 1, a memory feature 8 isprovided that permits recording of the circumstances under which thedetection of moisture takes place in a manner suitable for dataprocessing, for example. In addition, a shutdown feature 9 is providedpermitting at least a partial shutdown of the mobile communicationterminal device 1 when a positive moisture detection result has beenreturned.

In the mobile communication terminal device 1, a feature 10 is alsoprovided that is suitable for determining the two circumstances (i.e.,that an at least partial shutdown of the mobile communication terminaldevice 1 has been performed as a result of moisture being detected andthat the mobile communication terminal device 1 has been connected to anexternal power supply source). In addition, the feature 10 is suitablefor switching the mobile communication terminal device 1 to a specialmode if it has determined that the two aforementioned circumstancesexist simultaneously. The special mode is a mode by means of which themobile communication terminal device 1 is subjected to a heating phaseby drawing current and, as a result, is in turn subjected to a dryingphase.

As supplementary equipment for the mobile communication terminal device1, the FIGURE shows a charger unit 11, which, for its part, can beconnected to a power supply network. This power supply network is notshown in detail in the FIGURE.

A situation is illustrated in the FIGURE in which the elements 6 inconjunction with the feature 7 have determined moisture in the mobilecommunication terminal device 1. This positive moisture detection resultis recorded in the memory feature 8 in a form that can be used for dataprocessing purposes. At the same time, the elements 5 are used toindicate the circumstance where the inserted power supply cells 3 aredischarged. In addition, the mobile communication terminal device 1 isat least partially shut down by the elements 4 and/or elements 9 as aresult of the positive moisture detection result. At a convenientopportunity the mobile communication terminal device 1 is thereforeplaced into the charged unit 11 for supposed charging of the supposedlydischarged power supply cells 3.

The feature 10 now detects the two circumstances, namely that an atleast partial shutdown of the mobile communication terminal device 1 hasbeen performed as a result of moisture being detected and that themobile communication terminal device 1 has been connected to an externalpower supply source, and switches the mobile communication terminaldevice 1 to the mode by means of which the mobile communication terminaldevice 1 is subjected to a heating phase by drawing current and as aresult is, in turn, subjected to a drying phase. The mobilecommunication terminal 1 is operable once again after the drying phase.

The heating phase or drying phase is represented stylistically in theFIGURE by a schematic thermometer that gives an indication of anincrease in the body temperature of the mobile communication terminaldevice 1. The thermometer itself is otherwise not part of thearrangement.

The FIGURE also illustrates by means of two double arrows that therespective elements 4 and 5 can be functionally included in the shutdownfeature 9 in such a way that shared use can be made of their functionsand that they do not need to be implemented again as extra facilities.

Although preferred examples of the present methods and apparatus havebeen disclosed for illustrative purposes, those of ordinary skill in theart will appreciate that the scope of this patent is not limitedthereto. On the contrary, this patent covers all methods and apparatusfalling within the scope of the appended claims.

1. For use in a mobile communication terminal, an apparatus comprising:a moisture detection element configured to detect moisture in the mobilecommunication terminal device; a memory to record circumstances underwhich the detection of moisture takes place; a first shutdown elementconfigured to at least partially shut down the mobile communicationterminal device when moisture has been detected; and a control elementconfigured to determine a first event where an at least partial shutdownof the mobile communication terminal device has been performed by thefirst shutdown element as a result of moisture being detected, and asecond event where the mobile communication terminal device is connectedto a charger unit and current is being drawn from the charger unit; and,upon detection of the first and second events, activate a mode to causethe mobile communication terminal device through the drawing of currentto be subjected to a heating phase and a subsequent drying phase.
 2. Anapparatus as defined in claim 1 further comprising: a detectorconfigured to detect discharged power supply cells connected to themobile communication terminal; a second shutdown element configured toshut down the mobile communication terminal device on detection ofconnected discharged power supply cells; and an indication elementconfigured to indicate that the connected power supply cells aredischarged.
 3. An apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein the secondshutdown elements and the indication element are incorporated with thefirst shutdown element; and shutdown of the mobile communicationterminal device when moisture is detected is displayed to an outsideobserver by the indication element as a shutdown resulting from adischarged state of the connected power supply cells.
 4. An apparatus asdefined in claim 1, wherein the control element includes a processorcontrol unit for carrying out the determination of these circumstances.5. For use in a mobile communication terminal, an apparatus comprising:a moisture detection element configured to detect moisture in the mobilecommunication terminal device; a memory to record circumstances underwhich the detection of moisture takes place; a first shutdown elementconfigured to at least partially shut down the mobile communicationterminal device when moisture has been detected; a control elementconfigured to determine a first even where an at least partial shutdownof the mobile communication terminal device has been performed by thefirst shutdown element as a result of moisture being detected, and asecond even where the mobile communication terminal device is connectedto an external power supply source and current is being drawn from thepower supply source; and, upon detection of the first and second events,activate a mode to cause the mobile communication terminal devicethrough the drawing of current to be subjected to a heating phase and asubsequent drying phase; a detector configured to detect dischargedpower supply cells connected to the mobile communication terminal; asecond shutdown element configured to shut down the mobile communicationterminal device on detection of connected discharged power supply cells;and an indication element configured to indicate that the connectedpower supply cells are discharged.
 6. An apparatus as defined in claim5, wherein the second shutdown elements and the indication element areincorporated with the first shutdown element; and shutdown of the mobilecommunication terminal device when moisture is detected is displayed toan outside observer by the indication element as a shutdown resultingfrom a discharged state of the connected power supply cells.